Love Takes Courage
by fantasylover42
Summary: A Dramione Draco/Hermione love story. Combination of fluff and angst. See what happens when two former enemies fall in love, work for the approval of their friends and family, and love is tested by dissaproval, dark marks, and the threat of Voldemort.
1. Static Electricity

Love Takes Courage: A Dramione Fanfic

Chapter 1: Static Electricity Hermione's POV

I wasn't sure how long I had been interested in Draco Malfoy. For years I thought I hated him, but under the "hate"(was that even what it was?), I felt another feeling, something I couldn't identify. I may not be sure of how long he's been in my interests, but I do remember when I realized that I liked him.

It was fourth year, and Ron, Harry, and I were rushing out of Potions. In our hurry, I bumped into Malfoy. Our shoulders bumped together, and then our fingers brushed together. Irrationally, that touch made my hand feel like I had just gotten a shock of static electricity. Also irrationally, I just wanted to stare at him endlessly. He turned to me.

"Watch where you're going, Granger!" His tone was harsh and mocking as always, but I could swear I heard an undercurrent of something... panic maybe? His eyes were guarded and confused, and a little shocked as well. As he turned and walked away, I couldn't help but stare at his retreating back. At that moment, I knew without a doubt what the other feeling was that I had been feeling for years was. I knew that I had fallen for Draco Malfoy.

I barely listened to Ron and Harry's declarations of Malfoy's prat-ness and other more rude words – mostly coming from Ron. I would only respond with a reproachful "Ron!" as the name-calling proceeded and became more profane as it did so. Luckily, they didn't find that strange, as I always did that – I was always eager to keep from calling people those words, even when – in Harry and Ron's opinions, at least – they were well-deserved.

A couple times throughout the rest of the day, Ron and Harry noticed that my head wasn't quite down on earth as usual. They asked me if anything was wrong, and I responded that it was nothing, but since I didn't convince them, I decided to go to bed early, so I could escape their questioning glances. Finally alone, and able to think about all of the thoughts that I had been trying to push to the back of my mind all day, I let all of the thoughts wash over me. It was more exhausting that I ever would have believed – or maybe I was just more tired than I thought – and before I knew it I was fast asleep.

That night, my dreams were filled with images of Draco Malfoy.

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A/N ok, i know this is short, but i thought that was a good place to cut it off. believe my, my greatest apologies. i think it's much too short, but i've always had a problem with that.

i'm writing this for my best friend because she loves this couple. i do too XD and these ideas just kept popping into my head last night, so i needed to start a story XD

i hope you enjoy, and feedback = making me very happy XD and i'll give you a virtual brownie. yum yum XD

don't know when i'll write the next chapter, it might be short too, because i only know of a little bit of what i'm putting into it, but if that one is short, i'll make the next one longer. or at least try.


	2. Truth and Lies

Love Takes Courage – A Dramione Fanfic

Chapter 2: Truth and Lies – Draco's POV

I let the water in the sink run until it was as cold as it got, then splashed water onto my face a few times. I stared at myself in the mirror: eyes full of shock and a shadow of something else, face dripping, hair damp. The cold water had helped some to "wake" me, but my head was still muddled. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, then went back to staring at myself in the mirror.

I had heard – and read about – this too many times not to know what it was that I was feeling. What threw me off so much was that I'd never _really_ felt it before. I'd never really been attracted to anyone really, and I'd certainly never had a real relationship. My "relationship" with Pansy didn't count as real by any stretch of the imagination. That had been purely for convenience.

I didn't go out with Pansy because I liked _her_. It was more that I liked the attention. I had always liked being the center of attention – a side effect of being a single child, I suppose – and being in a relationship was a convenient way to be the center of attention. It was also a very convenient way to make my father happy.

But after a while, it did become necessary to break up with her. She was getting _too_ into it. She continually wanted to go places that I just wouldn't go, at least not with her. So I earned this reputation with my friends: Draco Malfoy, the gorgeous guy who thinks he's just too good for any girl.

But it honestly wasn't that I thought I was too good for Pansy – or any other girl, for that matter. It was just that no girl had ever really caught my attention, made me interested in that way – until now, at least.

Of all the girls at Hogwarts – because I knew I could easily take my pick of any of them – why did I have to fall for Hermione Granger?

I knew it wasn't because of her as a person that I was berating myself. She actually was quite pretty, and smart, and had a good sense of humor. I knew that no one would ever believe me if I told them that. I knew no one would believe that I had nothing against her as a person, because of the way I'd treated her. I was ashamed of the way I had treated – well, everyone, really. Because that wasn't ever the _real _me. That was my father talking through me.

Which brought me to the _real _reason I was cursing myself for falling for Hermione: I was afraid of my father.

I couldn't help laughing, a little bitterly. Sure, it was cowardice, but I guess that's one of the reasons I wasn't put in Gryffindor. Besides, even Harry Potter would be afraid of my father when he was in one of his rages. Rages that I had witnessed far too often, because whatever I did, I could never seem to measure up to his expectations.

Feeling overwhelmed by all of this, I turned away from the mirror and put my back against the wall. I closed my eyes, and ran my hands over my face and through my hair. But when my eyes closed, I could see Hermione, and I felt everything that I had felt when our fingers touched rushing back. I suddenly seemed to notice everything about her with sharper focus: her hair, her eyes, _her._

My eyes flew open. "Damn it!" I shouted, spinning around and slamming my fist into the wall. Stupid choice: the hard concrete just made my hand hurt. I leaned my forehead against the wall and took slow, deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down; I knew from past experience that my anger flared up easily, but if not put under control quickly, it would change rapidly from anger to a full-fledged temper. I'd obviously inherited my father's temper. Lovely.

After a few more minutes, I forced myself to leave. I knew that I couldn't stay in the boys' lavatory forever. But I did make a point to avoid my fellow Slytherins – I wasn't sure that "friend" was the right term for everyone in my crowd – for the rest of the day. Luckily, they were used to me seeking solitude – I didn't always like being with people, it just made me feel pressured to keep up the image that my father was trying his hardest to mold me into. Trying to keep up that image while pretty much breaking every rule in my father's book – I couldn't even imagine the extent of his rage if he knew I'd fallen for a Muggle-born – was too much to handle right now.

I wandered the grounds for a while. But wandering is not something that occupies your mind, and I needed something to occupy my mind. Because, like everything else, there was an upside and a downside to avoiding everyone: the upside being that avoiding everyone meant avoiding the pressure, and the downside being that there was now nothing to distract myself from the thoughts I was trying to avoid.

Finally, I came up with a solution: devote myself to my studies for a while. I smirked as I thought of anyone's reaction to that: Draco Malfoy, studying hard with no test coming up any time soon at all. I very rarely payed close attention to my homework, often even paying other students to do my homework for me. But now, I felt even homework was preferable to this seemingly impossible situation presented to me.

Hours later, when I was almost positive that most everyone else in the entire castle was sleeping, and my eyelids were being forced closed by exhaustion, I reluctantly gave in and went to bed. I knew even before I was asleep that once I was asleep, all of the thoughts and images I had been carefully avoiding all day would be front and center in my mind.

So it was no surprise to me that Hermione's face was almost never absent in my dreams.

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A/N: YAY up sooner than i thought i would have it up!

i had a whole bunch written down in my A/N, but i can't remember it now that i'm re-doing it because my internet was being stupid... dang XP oh well.

DPOV is kinda weird for me to write... sometimes it just feels a little funny because i have to keep saying to myself, "Now remember, you're in the head of a GUY!" XD but i try, and maybe i succeed.

so far i'm fairly pleased with this fanfic, but MY satisfaction is only part of it. YOUR satisfaction is the other part. so don't be shy to tell me what you think, please! i want strong opinions ;) best way to make it better.

Hope you enjoy! or should i say enjoyED, since this is at the end.... but there's more to come.... ok i'll stop now, you guys don't need to know my entire thought process ;)

and if it takes me a while inbetween updates, don't panic, sometimes i get bad writer's block. i don't know how long it'll be before the next chapter, because i have ideas for stuff LATER in the story, but still need some ideas for in-betweensy stuff. hopefully it'll be soon :)

i apologize for the very long A/N. oh one more thing: this too short, or is it a good length? i'm tending towards too short, but tell me what you think. NOW i'm done.


	3. Flowers and Kisses

Love Takes Courage: A Dramione Fanfic

Chapter 3: Flowers and Kisses

Hermione's POV

Pretending that I hated Draco Malfoy was both much easier and much harder that I could have ever expected it to be.

I felt every insult hit me like a blow. Had he always insulted us this much, or was he making a special effort for some reason? It was difficult to feign my usual nonchalance while I felt like I was breaking to pieces.

I must have been a better actress than I thought, because Harry and Ron didn't seem to notice a change in my behavior. At least at first. They noticed when I started having a little more trouble paying attention in class, getting my homework done. They'd catch me staring out the window lost in thought with my Arithmancy homework spread out in front of me. If it were anyone else, I'm sure they wouldn't have payed it any attention. But it was me.

"Hermione, is something wrong?" Harry asked. To be perfectly honest, I was a little surprised that they had stopped talking about "guy things" long enough to actually notice that anything else was going on around them. Ron was standing behind him, his face a perfect imitation of Harry's worried expression.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I must have stayed up too late studying last night."

Ron looked at me incredulously. "Hermione, you turned in early last night!"

"Oh, yes. Well, I couldn't sleep, and so I got out my Charms and studied some more."

"We didn't have Charms homework last night, Hermione." Harry looked more concerned than ever.

"We didn't? Well, then, it must have been History of Magic. Goodness, if I'm forgetting what I was studying, I must be tired. I'm going to bed, then. Good night!" I rushed away, eager to escape their confused and worried questions. As I left, I heard Ron ask Harry, "Wha'd'ya suppose is really bothering her?"

I rushed up to my dormitory, set my books down on my nightstand, and fell down onto my bed. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.

Suddenly, I was sitting in a field with Draco Malfoy. He plucked a blue flower and offered it to me with a smile. It was a genuine smile, completely the same and totally different from his ever-present smirk. I took it and twirled it on its stem, smiling back. Then, we leaned toward each other and our lips met.

"Hermione?"

I awoke with a start, the dream still lingering in my mind. I looked up to see Ginny leaning over me. When she saw my eyes open, she stepped back.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Don't worry about it." I was still groggy from my nap. I sat up. "Did you want something?"

"Well..." she hesitated. "Ron and Harry seem to think that there's something up with you. They're worried." She studied my face closely. "I asked them why, but they were really vague about it. They said you wouldn't tell them anything. Said you were all evasive when they asked."

"Did they?"

"Hermione, you know you can tell me anything. Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's wrong." She still studied my face, skeptical. "Honestly, Ginny. There is nothing wrong with me."

"Well, is something bothering you then?" she pressed.

"I don't know if bothering is the right word..." I muttered. She was instantly at the alert. "Look, Ginny, I just have a lot of thoughts to sort through. I'm sure that when I get through them all, I'll be back to normal."

She leaned forward and hugged me. "Well, then, I hope you sort through them soon."

"Me too," I whispered.

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A/N: Ok, so, i know this is short, but whatever. Hermione again. I think i used to have other ideas for this chapter, but i forgot them all. anyway, i thought i had made anyone who was waiting wait long enough, so i sat down and made myself write. almost everything you see was just created tonight. so i'm sorry if it's utter crap.

hope it is even remotely good. and sorry for the misleading chapter title, i couldn't come up with anything.


	4. Playing Games

Love Takes Courage: Dramione

Chapter 4: New Game

Draco's POV

~*~

The tough guy, hater act was getting harder and harder to pull off. Not just for Hermione, although it was much, much harder with her. I felt more stressed, strained, pulled tight than I had ever felt in my life. I admit, it scared me a little. Partially because I had no idea how to deal with stress, and also because I know that sometime I would have to snap.

Turns out my friends triggered that first snap. Or should I refer to them as "friends"? Whatever, it doesn't matter. Maybe the snap was for of a fray in the rope. I was lounging on the couch in the common room, my usual place, and my friends were gathered around me. Pansy kept trying to stroke my hair, but every time she tried I gave her a death glare. Meanwhile my friends were gossiping.

"Did you see that Mudblood in Hufflepuff?" Crabbe sneered.

"Please!" Pansy shrieked, which hurt my ears, "She acts like she's the best, but not only is she in _Hufflepuff _and a _Mudblood,_but she's hideous! I swear I've never seen anyone so ugly!"

Soon all I heard were insults. "Mudblood." "Blood-traitor." And the insults blurred into a horrible buzzing of mounting anger.

Each moment I got more and more uncomfortable. But I could have stood it, I really could have, if Goyle hadn't said one thing that grated on my nerves worse than everything else combined.

"You know who could give that Hufflepuff a run for her money in the ugly contest?" Granted, it was a little belated, but it probably took him that long to think of a half-way witty remark. I nonchalantly pretended to ignore him. "Granger." I saw red.

As everyone else was laughing, I stood up and screamed, _**"SHUT UP!"**_ Everyone turned and stared at me.

Shit.

I had to find a way to explain my outburst. So I regained a marginal amount of control, and yelled, "All of you just never shut up! Maybe if you spent a little less time dishing out dirt on people and a little more time studying, half of you wouldn't be on the verge of being expelled! Now if you'll excuse me, I don't think I could stand your prattling for one more second!"

Everyone remained speechless as I turned with a dramatic swirl of my robes and stomped out of the room. As I was almost out of earshot, I heard someone say, "What's wrong with him?"

I walked into my room and vented my frustrations by kicking my dresser. It didn't help much, it just made my foot sore. I flopped down onto my bed on my stomach. I felt a sudden urge to break out crying. But I suppressed it. The last thing I needed was for someone to follow me in and see me crying. Malfoys didn't cry. But then I realized something. It must seem pretty dense of me not to realize it before but that's life. I realized that, whether my friends knew it or not, I had broken all of the rules. This was a new game, and I had no idea how to play.

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A/N: hey everybody, i know it's been forever, and i'm so sorry! hopefully you didn't all give up on me and forget about this story :) so anyway, reviewing is good, and it might give me ideas for later! if you have any ideas, definitely tell me and i will consider them.

anyway, hope i can get another one up soon, sorry for the wait, and peace! :)


	5. Friends Can Be Perceptive

**Love Takes Courage: A Dramione fanfic**

**Chapter 5: Friends can be perceptive**

**Hermione's POV**

~*~

I had my books out, a huge stack, sitting at my favorite space for work: the study table in the corner of the common room. Except, I wasn't working. Instead of doing homework, I was staring into space while doodling shapes on my parchment: squares, circles, triangles, diamonds, and the occasional flowers and hearts. I was so engrossed in doodling and daydreaming that I jumped about a foot when Ginny slammed a book down on the table and sat down opposite me.

"I've figured it out."

"What are you talking about?"

"What's been bothering you, why you aren't concentrating on homework, why you've been distant, etcetera, etcetera."

She'd never know in a million years. "And what's that?"

"You've been drugged with a personality disorder potion." She smirked at me mischievously.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I really hope that was a joke."

"Naturally." She leaned forward. "But in all seriousness, I know what it is" She smiled, raising one eyebrow. "Come on, you didn't honestly think I wouldn't figure it out?"

"And what would 'it' be?" Never in a million years.

"You've got your eye on some bloke, haven't you?"

I froze for a millisecond. Bugger. "Get off it!" I faked a smile, trying to mask my shock.

"Come on, Hermione!" Ginny's voice was full of exasperation. "So you've got your eye on some bloke, what's the big deal?"

"I haven't." I started gathering my papers and books, trying to make a quick getaway.

"Hermione, please. You know you can tell me anything!" I looked at her, still unsure. "Honestly! Who would I tell?"

I hesitated another moment before slowly saying, "Yes, there is a boy…"

"I knew it!" She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into the chair. "So, who is it?"

I shook my head. "Sorry, no can do."

"Oh, come on, there's no way you can leave me with that!"

"I… I don't think I can tell you."

She leaned back, puzzled, and then grimaced. "It's… it's not RON, is it?"

"RON?" The fact that she hit so far off of the mark was totally unexpected. "No way!"

She let out a breath. "Thank goodness. You scared me for a minute there." She leaned forward again. "So who is it?"

"I can't, Ginny."

"Why not?" She was frustrated with me, I could tell.

"Because honestly…" I stopped. Stared up at the ceiling. Wondered how to continue. "Because honestly I'm not sure how I feel myself, and if I told you who, I think you'd murder me."

"Harry?" she ventured a guess.

"No. I won't tell you, Gin, but I will tell you that it's not Harry or Ron. They're great, but…" I shrugged. "They're more like brothers. I don't see them as boyfriend material."

Ginny stood up, finally defeated. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it, you know I'm here, right?"

"Of course!"

"Well… 'night then."

"'Night, Ginny." I watched her disappear up the stairs before I slumped down in my chair. It was easy enough for Ginny to say she'd be here when she didn't know who it was, but if I told her I liked MALFOY? That was treachery, betrayal. Borderline blasphemy, and definitely near insanity. Another problem had emerged, and I didn't like it. I didn't like the fact that if anything ever did come out of this – even though I knew it wouldn't – I would have to choose between Malfoy and my friends. I smiled ruefully as I thought that I never would have expected that to be a hard choice.

**A/N: i'm so sorry! For some reason, this story has died a little bit for me, and i'm going to try again. I'll try not to drop it, but it just wasn't working. Maybe after a break i'll be able to write it again. Hope so! I know this chapter isn't very good, and doesn't make up for the HUGE lapse in time, but again, I apologize!**


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